Railroad-switch



t e e S m e e h S 2 m W M D m 0 E A 3 S (Na Model.)

- INVENTOH Patented Jan. 1, 1895.-

W/ TH E 38.5 S

f) mix/W UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

STE'WART H. ORAMPTON, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

RAl LROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,782, dated January 1, 1 895.

A plication filed March 6 1894.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEWART H. CRAMPTON, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvem cuts in Railroad-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel manner of unlocking, shifting, and then relocking railway switch points by a reliable mechanism, placed under the level of the track, and operated by means of a bar attached to a car or engine. This depending bar is preferably operated by the foot of the motor man or engineer, and first acts upon a lever which unlocks the switch, then upon a lever with curved sides which moves the switch-point to its desired position, and changes the point on which it is pivoted so that it is in position to reverse the switch-point when again operated, and, lastly, moves against another lever, which relocks the switch-point. This will be hereinafter fully described and shown and specified in the claims. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the switching and locking mechanism, all of which is placed below the level of the track. Fig. 2 is a perspective side View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of Fig. l on the line y-y looking toward the left, showing the locking bar and the connection between the switch-point shifting lever and the switch-point. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a railway switch, showing the switching mechanism in connection with the switchpoint, ready to be operated. Fig. 5 is a side view of the slot, showing the depending bar of a car about to operate the mechanism. Fig. 6 is a modified form of the switching lever.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A. Fig. 1 is the lever for shifting the switchpoint. The sides of this lever are curved outwardly, and wider at the extreme end, where the rod which connects it to the switch-point is attached. This lever A. is pivoted at B. the pivot being movable, and moving from one end to the other, respectively, in the slot B. The end walls of this slot act as fulcrums Serial No. 502,548. filo model.)

for the pivot, when the lever is first acted upon by the depending bar attached to a car.

0. O are second fulcrums, so placed that when the continued movementof the car and the depending bar attached, forces the lever against one or the other, as the case may be, it relieves the pressure upon the first fulcrum and simultaneously with the completion of the movement of the switch-point, shifts the pivoted point of the lever to the opposite end of the slot.

The advantages of the lever A being in the form shown are that when it is operated by the depending bar N, of the car, a gradual change of position is obtained, and the stress is distributed over its entire length. In Fig. 6 I show a lever, wedge-shaped at its ends. In using a lover of this description the strain first comes on it between the points 5 and 6, then not again until the final strain comes on it between the points 7 and 8, to shift its pivot, as well as shift the switch-point. A long slightly tapering wedge-shaped lever could be used, but the objection would be to its length, and lengthening the rest of the mechanism to correspond.

What I consider as part of my invention is any shape of lever, so adapted, that when operated it will move the switch-point and simultaneously with the completion of the movement move the point on which it is pivoted, so as to be in position to reverse the previous movement of the switch-point when again operated as is shown by A in Figs. 1 and 2. I

E is a lever or bar which when in its normal position extends sufficiently across the slot K K, so as to be moved by a depending bar, as N. Fig. 5, as it passes through the slot. It is pivoted at F and has its inner end conat F. This bar E, is so shaped at its end G, that when in its normal position, it overlaps shown in Fig. 3. The end of the bar E is connected by rod 4 to a bar H, similar to E, and pivoted at H. It will be seen that when the bar or lever E is moved, that the bar E is similarly moved and the lever A is then unlocked; also that bar H is moved across the slot.

nected by a rod 9 to a similar bar E, pivoted the end of lever A and locks it, as is clearly u IOO The long broken lines, Fig. 1, show the position of the slot K K.

In Figs. 3 and 4, T T are the, flanges of the slot K K.

.T. is the switch-point, and I the rail.

The sides of the slot are made at the end K, so as to deftly guide the depending bar N into it.

V is the connecting rod which connects lever A with the switch-point J.

U is a slot through which the upright projection of the rod V, which is attached to the switch-point, passes.

The depending bar N. Fig. 5, is attached to a car, as shown, and held in its normal position by the spring 0.

P is an additional support and guide for the rod N.

M is an incline to raise the depending bar N after it has moved the bar H.

Having thus explained the different parts, the manner of operation is as follows: The depending bar-N, on being pressed down, enters the slot K K. It then first moves the bar orleverE and puts it into position marked 1 on the bar indicated by the dottedlines. As the bar E is connected by means of the rod 9 to the bar E, this latter bar is also moved from its normal position, and the change of the position of its end G unlocks the switch, the bar being moved to the position indicated by 2 in the dotted lines. The pushing aside of the bar E not only moves bar E, as stated, but at the same time throws the bar I-I into the position marked 3 at right angles to and extending nearly across the slot'K K. After the depending bar N has thus moved the bars E, E, and H, by moving the bar E, it comes against the curved side of lever A and gradually pushing it, shifts the switchpoint as required. At the same time the lever, when thus being moved, bears on one of the fulcrums O or G, which shifts its axis B to the opposite end of the slot B, reaching its destination when the switch-point has been moved to its farthest point. The position of the lever is then as shown by A, Fig. 1. The depending bar N next comes in contact with the bar H and pushing it, throws the bars H, E, and E back into their first positions, and the switch is again locked by the bar E. When any succeeding car wishes to change the switch-point, the parts are all in position to be similarly operated.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of a depending bar from a car a shifting lever, with curved or wedge shaped sides, having a movable axis and a connection to a switch point, of a slot for the movement of said axis, and of a second fulcrum on each side of said lever, whereby the axis of the lever is simultaneously shifted with the completion of the movement of the switchpoint substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of a depending bar from a car a shifting lever with curved or wedge-shaped sides, having a movable axis and a connection to a switch-point, of a slot for the movement of said axis, of a second fulcrum on each side of said lever,'whereby the axis of the lever is simultaneously shifted with the completion of the movement of the switchpoint and of means for unlocking the lever before, and locking it after, said lever has been shifted, substantially as set forth.

3. In a switch locking mechanism the combination of a depending bar from a car, of a switch shifting lever with a connection to a switch-point, and pivoted bars or levers with connecting rods, so arranged that when operated by the depending bar, they automatically unlock and relock the shifting lever, and assume their former positions, substantially as set forth.

4. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of a depending bar from a car, of a shifting lever with curved or wedgeshaped sides havinga movable axis and a conneotion to a switch-point, of a slot for the movement of said axis, of a second fulcrum on each side of said lever, and of pivoted bars or levers, with connecting rods so arranged that when operated by the depending bar, they automatically unlock and relock the shifting lever and assume their former positions, substantially as set forth.

5. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of the depending bar N, of looking levers E, E, and H connected by rods 9 and 4 respectively, and of the shifting lever A, substantially as set forth.

6. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of the depending bar N, shifting lever A, fulcrums C, C, movable axis 13, slot B, connecting rod V, and of switch-point J, substantially as set. forth.

7. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination of a depending bar N, of locking levers E, E, and H, connected by rods 9 and 4t respectively, of shifting lever A of movable axis B of slot B of fulcrums G, 0 connecting rod V, and of switch-point J, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 3d day of March, 1894.

STEWART H. ORAMPTON.

l/Vitnesses:

HERBERT A. BUYS, ROBERT T. SHELDON.

ICC 

